the
regulation of the 15th December 1821, prescribing a surcharge of ten
times letter rate for a packet of like weight, was made applicable to
cases where a communication was written on the printed sheet sent at the
reduced rate.[478]

In 1850, when the German-Austrian Postal Union was founded, a uniform
rate of 4 silverpfennigs for each loth was introduced for packets sent
under band. Following the establishment of the Union, the Prussian
administration ([S] 50 of law of 5th June 1852) fixed a uniform rate for
its own service of 6 silverpfennigs for each loth. For local packets
sent under band (_Stadtpost-Kreuzbandsendungen_) a rate of 1 sgr. for
each packet was introduced, reduced to 4-1/2 pf. for each packet when as
many as 100 packets were posted at the same time, or 6 pf. each when
from 25 to 100 were posted at one time. The definition of printed matter
entitled to the privilege[479] was now enlarged.[480] The penalty for
misuse of the privilege was made a surcharge of four times the amount of
the postage, but not less than 5 thalers, which might be increased
fourfold on repetition of the offence. In 1854 the maximum charge for
packets sent under band was fixed at six times letter rate, in order to
get rid of the anomaly of a higher charge on heavy packets sent under
band than on letters.[481] The fact that packets under band could be
sent for 4 pf. throughout the territory of the Union, but that for
transmission within the Prussian territory the charge was 6 pf., and
that in consequence Prussian commercial men were posting their packets
abroad in large numbers, led to a reduction of the rate in 1856 to 4 pf.
for each loth.[482]

The large increase of traffic which resulted made desirable a
simplification of the definition of packets entitled to the privilege.
Only communications of general application could pass, and the officials
found themselves often in doubt as to the application of the existing
definition. Thus, notices of the despatch of goods, invitations, or
printed letters could not be sent at the privileged rate, while, e.g.,
notices of marriages could. So far as the Union was concerned, in 1860
the privilege was limited to documents reproduced by mechanical
means.[483] The maximum limit of weight was reduced from 16 loth to 1/2
pfund (15 loth). This definition was introduced in the Prussian inland
service in 1861. The rate of postage was also modified in that year. The
rate of 4 pf. for each loth was